Dog days of Louisville: Horror stories about enforcement of the city’s dangerous dog ordinance

Leo Weekly ^ | October 14, 2009 | Jonathan Meador

[org.whodat]

The officer reportedly does not mean it is a true and actual statement. I would bet the man let him in and did not question his authorization.

[panthermom]

When my Bulldog was much younger he escaped and I was sick looking for him, turns out he had wandered to a neighbors house, entered through his dog door and went up to the man’s bedroom. My neighbor had just stepped out of the shower and was drying off, looking straight at his Boxer when he felt something lick the back of his leg, scared the you know what out of him. He thought it was the funniest thing!

We also had a little pug that was like Houdini, a landscaping truck was parked doing work at my neighbors across the street, he jumped into the guys truck and popped up next to him while the man was driving home!

[LongElegantLegs]

If they want to get their rocks off by looking at photos of dead dogs, let them. After all, who could have possibly imagined that a ham-handed attempt at government pre-crime interference could have gone so horribly awry?

Oh yeah, WE did...

[Joe 6-pack]

"The officer reportedly does not mean it is a true and actual statement.

It certainly doesn't mean it's false, either. Near the conclusion of the article, it states:

"When the federal lawsuit was filed in 2007, the judge had no anecdotal evidence to consider. As a result, then-Jefferson County Attorney Irv Maze persuaded the court to dismiss any Fourth Amendment claims because there were no instances of search and seizure violations. That means the grievances of people like Crisler, Head and hundreds of others were not specifically addressed in the ruling because they occurred after the suit was filed....Now, a hurricane of civil rights lawsuits is on the horizon."

It'll be interesting to see what comes of these...

[ravingnutter]

Scheme to get out the door? My 110 lb. Shepherd/Shar Pei mix would knock the storm door down if we didn't keep it unlatched, LOL! Fortunately, we have a 5 foot fence.

[org.whodat]

Yes, but the judge said the same as I, it is an after the fact allegation used about 99.9999999999% of the time.

[Salamander]

When there is nothing left that remotely resembles a “pit bull”, they will turn to other breeds to satisfy their desire to kill dogs.

And it will continue, one breed or “type” after another til nothing is left.

pETA wants your pets DEAD so they can be “free” of the horrible suffering slavery of your love and affection.

*Only one* dog ever “bit” me and it was a Border Collie bitch with pups.
[the bite was scrape on my elbow]

Of all the dogs I’ve owned, [~many~ Dobermanns included], the dog I judged most likely to bite somebody else was, surprisingly, my sweet old Ibizan bitch, Izzy, even though she never actually bit anyone.

She just didn’t like *some* strangers getting too close to “mommy”.

They can’t touch her now, though...she died on election day.

[obligatory snark]

Ban pit Ibizan Hounds and/or pit Border Collies!

[Salamander]

I think Denver just replaced Ithaca as the official “City of Evil”.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Yes, but the judge said the same as I, it is an after the fact allegation used about 99.9999999999% of the time."

So your conclusion is that, in the face of a number of allegations of Fourth Amendment Violations on the part of the animal control officers, the charges should not be investigated because the people making them probably fall in that 99.9999999999%?

[Joe 6-pack]

"When there is nothing left that remotely resembles a “pit bull”, they will turn to other breeds to satisfy their desire to kill dogs."

That is why I'm as vocal as anybody against this absurdity. I'm a shepherd guy, and know my dogs and I are right there near the top of the list.

[LongElegantLegs]

City of ‘failure to see the obvious consequences of stupid legislation’, I'd say...Although your is a little catchier.
How's that little baby-eater of yours doing? Ears heal up okay?

[org.whodat]

NO, have a camera and a video, otherwise it is BS claim made by ever two bit punk on the street..

[Joe 6-pack]

"NO, have a camera and a video, otherwise it is BS claim made by ever two bit punk on the street.."

That's not true. Sometimes the two bit street punks are the very ones working on behalf of the government.

[Lurker]

It's a darn shame what happened to the bro from the hood who caused all this.

[AnAmericanMother]

My Chocolate Lab has a particular affection for our UPS man (after all, his truck and uniform EXACTLY match the shade of her coat). If he delivers something when we're working in the yard, he suddenly has a Choc riding shotgun - she sits up like a fire dog "OK - I'm ready! Let's roll this thing!"

Fortunately he likes dogs.

[Tallguy]

Dogs are intelligent creatures. Some will lay in wait for an opportunity to break free of their enclosure. I’ve had guests & delivery people leave my gates open and my dogs have gotten out. I have small dogs that few people would regard as a threat.

The Louisville law could have been applied a little with a little more consideration of the fact that the dog was instantly recovered and nobody got hurt.

The principle of owner responsibility is important, so if this is a one-off event it seems that the JP should have cut the guy a break. Animal control sure won’t.

[missycocopuffs]

Fortunately, Denver is finally reconsidering the ban on 'pit bulls'...mainly because the numbers show that it doesn't work (which you already knew) and has been has been costly for the city to both enforce and litigate: Pit bull ban repeal eyed

Missy (who is about to go pick up a dog from the vet)

[LongElegantLegs]

According to that article, pit bulls have been banned for 20 YEARS...Yet there are still enough PBs to exterminate them by the hundreds.

Golly gee, who'd a thunk a government ban could be so ineffective?

[panthermom]

Here is my son's Pitbull Ava (6mos.) with my other son's German Shorthaired Pointer (2 mos.) I am not sure how I feel about Pitbulls, my son got Ava at 6 weeks, she is now 6 mos. and she seems so happy and well adjusted. We have multiple dogs and 2 of his roommates have dogs as well. She is very well behaved though and very sweet but that is what eveyone says.

[Darnright]

There is a recent court case concerning the situation in Louisville with this dangerous dog law. Here’s the link if anyone is intersted:

http://www.ovdo.org/pdf/Req_sum_jdg.pdf